Souvenir
by brightspark
Summary: SeiferxQuistis. She picked up something he left behind. One shot.


After the war, I stayed in Balamb. I didn't go back to Garden. Couldn't stand to be there anymore, 'specially not with Puberty Boy ruling the roost. Or rather, doing all the paperwork and letting protocol and the proper way to do things assfuck him. If I was Commander of Garden, I'd... but fuck that. I don't want to be Commander of so much as a little pile of dog shit anymore. Anonymity is my friend and all. 

I stayed in Balamb for a good few months, anyway. 'Til some half baked SeeD got pissed in Balamb, and walked past me. Well, I couldn't resist, could I? It was a cheap shot, but I stuck my foot out... and he landed on his face. Broke his nose in the fall - that, or I broke it for him in the ensuing fight, I'm not certain which.

After that, Raijin and Fujin dragged me away and decided that we'd settle somewhere I wouldn't be recognised. Kinda hard, to tell the truth, and it was a little bit of a venture into the workings of trial and error, but we got there eventually. A lovely anonymous pad in, would you believe it, Timber.

Quiet little town. Pretty, too. I never did see Rinoa there, but Raijin told me she was still around. Spent most of her time with Squally-boy, apparently. I wish her luck, with him. First time they try sleeping together she'll probably end up being chipped out of a block of ice, he's that frigid, or so I've heard. It's not as if I'd know anything about that.

Anyway. Settled down in Timber. After a while, I figured out something was missing. No, I'm not slow like Chickenwuss, but it's not as if I spend all my time staring into the mirror admiring myself. I know I look good; the end.

Apparently, I lost my choker in that fight.

It didn't bother me too much at the time. Why should it have done? It was just a piece of jewellery. In fact, I never thought about it again until the day the little gang of SeeDs set foot in my little town. I knew about everything that went on, of course. Raijin and Fujin are first class spies, after all, and they had their ways. Their intelligence network must've beat Rinoa's and the SeeDs' put together. Betcha didn't know that. Most people have no idea, after all. If I wanted to find out the bum on the corner's cousin three times removed's husband's name, Raijin and Fujin could have the information in a few days, maybe even quicker.

I knew the SeeDs were there. I knew that there were three of them, two I'd never heard of, and that their leader was Quistis Trepe. I even knew that they were there on top secret business delivering a package to one of Rinoa's friends. Rinoa hired SeeDs to do things as simple as that, nowadays. Guess it was her talent in bed and her beautiful feminine charms.

I even peeped out of my home to see Quistis walking by. Who hadn't had a crush on her back when we were students, after all? And away from Garden and the stupid brainsucking guardian forces, I remembered our shared past, too. So I was one of the priveleged few who could say they actually _knew_ Quistis before she got famous. Anyway.

And you know what I saw?

Round her neck. My fucking choker. I'd've recognised it anywhere and I recognised it there, fastened around her neck.

Raijin said my eyes almost literally turned into little hearts. Fucker. He's such an idiot. Yeah, the old crush on Quistis came back in full force at that moment. And for the first time in ages, I went out of the house for something other than a walk on my own or a trip to the shops. I stood in front of her, stopping her going any further, and she made a sign to the other two to go on, and then she looked up at me.

Well, fuck.

"You've got something of mine."

"Found it in Balamb, the day after you left," she said, with a little smile. She didn't move to take it off. "Thought I'd keep it as a souvenir."

"Give it back."

"No. What is it they say? 'Finders keepers, losers weepers'?" She smiled again.

Why the hell had she picked it up? She must've known it was mine, I wore it non-stop for years. Matron bought me it as a momento of her when I left for Garden. It didn't mean much to me now, after all that had happened, but it was still... it was still something from Matron. I knew every scratch on the surface of the silver, if I chose to remember it. Seeing it there, where it didn't belong, I missed it. I wanted it back.

"Why do _you_ want it?" I asked her.

Quistis never really gave me an answer. She just stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the lips before walking off. I stared after her like an idiot, but I never followed her. I was afraid of what she might say if I ever asked her that question again. Afraid of what I might say back.

So I turned and went inside.


End file.
